Another expert contribute

----- Messaggio originale -----
Da: "Vlad Alexander (XStandard)"<vlad.alexander@xstandard.com>

Can you post a reply on my behalf? Here it is:



I am not on the list but strongly disagree with Phill's comment that 
"Valid code is NOT a disability issue." In my opinion, invalid markup is 
the number one reason for lack of accessibility on the Web. Three 
reasons come to mind immediately:

1. Invalid markup can confuse users of assistive technologies or provide 
them with inaccurate information. For example, using a BLOCKQUOTE to indent.

2. Invalid markup makes it more difficult to build assistive technology. 
If you need to add more processing/parsing logic into assistive 
technology to accommodate invalid markup, then this make it more 
difficult to build assistive technology. As a result, you get fewer 
assistive technology products developed, they are less functional and 
cost more.

3. Invalid markup creates ambiguities and often leads to providing 
inaccurate or meaningless information to users of assistive 
technologies. For example, an invalid TABLE construct could mean this is 
markup for layout, or for a data table.

Phill, valid markup is not a frill, not icing on the cake. It's at the 
core of an accessible Web and must be given a high priority. As a Web 
authoring tool vendor, I can state that you are wrong when you say 
requiring valid markup for accessibility will lose you credibility with 
authoring tool vendors. On the contrary, because valid markup is where 
accessibility should begin, you can only gain credibility by making 
valid markup a Priority 1 checklist item.

Regards,
Vlad Alexander
Belus Technology Inc.
http://xstandard.com

Received on Tuesday, 26 July 2005 12:04:35 UTC